Electric time switch



April 28, 1925. 1,535,101

H. W. CHRISTIAN ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet1 aummql April 28, 1925. 1,535,101

H. w. CHRISTIAN ELECTRI TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES HERBERT W. CHRISTIAN, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

Application filed February 17, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIERBERT IV. Crims- TIAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Time Switches, of which the fol lowing is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an electric time switch and has specialreference to an auxiliary switch which may be associated with av mainswitch used in connection with an electric water heating apparatus, themain switch controlling the supply of current to the water heatingapparatus and the auxiliary switch controlling the length of time whichthe main switch is closed and consequently the use of electricalenergy'tor water heating purposes.

lVhile the time switch has been especially designed for an electricwater heating apparatus, yet it is capable of general use where acurrent of electricity is to be turned on for a predetermined time, andthen automatically cut off.

My invention aims to utilize a clock train or the greater part of anordinary alarm clock for automatically opening an auxiliary switch at apredetermined time, the clock train only operating while the switch isclosed and the alarm clock is equipped with two dial or indicia members,one disclosing numerically the amount of current used for apredetermined time and the other disclosing the quantity of water heatedor the work performed by the current in the prescribed time.

My invention further aims to utilize the winding arbor of an ordinaryalarm clock as the prime mover of a switch kick-0H member or actuatingelement. It is a well known fact that when an ordinary alarm clock iswound that the winding arbor slowly rotates during the operation orrunning of the clock and that if the winding arbor is only turned apartial rotation that the clock will run a predetermined time beforebeing completely run down. I utilize this characteristic of the windingarbor of an alarm clock in connection with one of the dial and indiciamembers to set the clock for operation a predetermined time. This isaccomplished by shifting the switch kicko'li member to-a desiredposition relative to the dial or indicia member and then re- Serial No.619,567. r

leasing the switch kick-off member to be slowly carried back to itsoriginal position by the clock mechanism until said clock mechanismceases to operate, by which time the kick-ofi member impinges against aswitch arm and accomplishes the desired cut oil of the current.

Other characteristics of my invention will hereinafter appear as theelectric time switch is described by aid of the drawings, wherein Figure1 is a plan of the electric time switch with the switch per seuncovered;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same showing the principal changesmade in connection with the ordinary alarm clock for the purpose of thisinvention;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the electric time switch partly broken awayand partly in section, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the electric time switch associatedwith an electric water heating apparatus having a main switch.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a clock casing andmounted on one side of said casing is a bracket 2 which will permit ofthe clock being mounted on or attached to a horizontal or verticalsupport, for instance, a water heating apparatus 3.

In the casing 1 is a conventional form of clock mechanism including awinding arbor 4 and a. hand arbor 5. The winding arbor 4 is adapted tobe manually rotated to wind a main spring which transmits its power tothe hand arbor 5, and as pointed out in the beginning, the winding arbor4 is also rotated by the main spring of the clock mechanism.

The clock also includes a protected dial 6 and rotatably mounted on thedial is a large gear wheel 7 meshing with a small gear wheel 8 on thehand arbor 5, and mounted on the large gear wheel 7 is an indicia memberor auxiliary dial 9 which is calibrated and provided with indiciarelative to the consumption of electrical current or the service of theswitch associated with the clock. Extending over the edge of the rotaryindicia member 9 is a pointer 10.

Mounted on top of the clock casing 1 is a switch block 11, preferablymade of insulation material and secured to the clock casing by one ormore nut equipped screws 12. The switch block 11 has a detachable cover13 and on said switch block is a post 14. supporting a pivoted switcharm 15 adapted to engage a binding post 16 carried by the switch block11. One side of the switch block 11 has an opening 17 for leading-inwires 18 which are connected to the posts 14 and 16, and as shown inFig. 1 the leading-in wires 18 are adapted for an electrical circuitincluding a main switch 19 and the electrical water heating apparatusThe switch block 11 is provided with a spring or resilient member 20holding the pivoted switch arm 15 normally in engagement with thebinding post 16 to close the circuit and the rear end of said switch armprotrudes from the switch so that it may be actuated to break thecircuit.

Mounted on the outer end of the winding ation depends on how far thekick-off member21 is swung away from the switch.

Mounted on the casing 1, at the rear end thereof, is a band or indiciamember 23' which is suitably gradi'iated so that the kick-off member 21may be moved relative to the graduations. I

Assuming that the time switch is elec trically connected with a suitablesource of electrical energy and in circuit with the 'main switch 19.and'thc water heating apparatus 3, the indicia member 23 can be providedwith indicia indicating the number of gallons of water that may beheated in the apparatus 3 during a predetermined time of currentconsumption. For instance, shifting the kick-off member 21 away from theswitch turns on the electrical current through the main switch 19 whichincludes an electro magnet energized by the closing of the clock switchto close the main switch for a circuit including the heating elements ofthe water heating apparatus 3. If the kick-off member 21 is swung as faras the graduation sixteen, as shown in Fig. 3, the clock mechanism willbe partially wound and placed in operation to gradually swing thekick-off member 21 in a counterclockwise direction, by reason of theclock mechanismrotating the winding arbor 4 in such direction. Bythetime the kicl'r-ofi member 21 travels from the graduation sixteen to theswitch and kicks off the switch arm 15,

sixteen gallons of water have been heated,

consequently the. clock has only been running while the switch is closedand water heated.

During this heating operation the clock mechanism has caused the gearwheel 7 and the indicia member to revolve until the clock is run down,and the indicia of said dial or indicia member will indicate the amountof current used in heating the sixteen gallons of water. The dial orindicia member 9 therefore serves as a meter and will show the totalamount of current used in a predetermined time. This auxiliary meterwill permit of the user of the electrically operated water heatingapparatus keeping a record of the current consump tion, ascertaining if.too much current is being used, also the cost of heating each gallon ofwater. The time switch as a whole will permit of the user heating justenough water for a desired purpose and no more, consequently there maybe a saving of electrical current as well as wear on the water heatingaparatus.

As indicated in the beginning, I may use the greater part of an ordinaryalarm clock mechanism, but I do not care to confine my invention to anyparticular type of clock mechanism, and the invention may be varied insuch other respects as are permissible by the appended claims.

hat I claim is 1. The combination of an electric water heating apparatushaving a main switch and an auxiliary switch in circuit with a source ofelectriealjenergy, a clock mechanism having a winding arbor, and aswitch kick-oft member on the winding arbor of said clock mechanism andby which member the clock mechanism may be partially wound, saidkick-off member being actuated during the operation of the clockmechanism and opening the circuit of the auxiliary switch when thecloclcmechanism is approxin'iately run down.-

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, and an indicia member on theside of said clock in proximity to said kick-off member.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, and a dial member operated bysaid clock to concurrently indicate the service of said switch.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary switchincludes a spring pressed normally closed switch arm.

5. The combination of a clock mechanism including a hand arbor and awinding arbor, which winding arbor rotates in synchronism with said handarbor but in an opposite direction during normal running of the clockmechanism, a switch controlling the use of electrical current, akick-off ill amount of work to be performed by the 1 electrical currentwhile the switch is closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT W. CHRISTIAN.

Vitnesses ANNA M. Donn, KARL H. BUTLER.

